Skip to main content
To search for an exact phrase, use quotes around the full phrase.

Utility

  • Become a Subscriber
  • Log in

Main navigation

  • Research
      Column
      Projects
      Ongoing Projects
      Completed Projects
      All Projects
      Programs
      Grants Awarded
      Column
      Resources
      Case Studies
      Innovation Resources
      Technology Deliverables
  • Topics
      Column
      Advanced Treatment
      Asset Management
      Biosolids
      Climate Change
      Constituents of Emerging Concern (CECs)
      Cyanobacteria & Cyanotoxins
      Column
      Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs)
      Energy Optimization
      Integrated Planning & Water Management
      Intelligent Water Systems
      Lead & Copper
      Microbes & Pathogens
      Column
      Nutrients
      PFAS
      Resource Recovery
      Reuse
      Stormwater
      Utility Management
      Water Use & Efficiency
  • Articles
      News
      eNews
      Press Releases
  • RFPs
      Column
      Apply
      Open RFPs
      Advance Notice
      Column
      Guidance
      Guidelines and Forms
  • Get Involved
      Participate in Research
      Become a Subscriber
      Benefits
      Our Subscribers
  • Webcasts & Events
      Column
      Upcoming Event

      Understanding Gasification for PFAS Removal

      Webcast
      05/29/2025
      Register for Webcast
      Column
      Webcasts
      Conferences & Events
  • About Us
      Column
      Our Team
      Careers
      WRF Staff
      Subscriber Services
      Research Services
      Contact Us
      Column
      Our Volunteers
      Board of Directors
      Research Committees
      Awards
      Subscriber Impact
      Research Innovation
      Paul L. Busch

Back to Topic List

Nutrients

Nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, occur naturally in the environment and play a key role in a healthy aquatic system. But problems start to develop when everyday human activity introduces additional nitrogen and phosphorus into our waterbodies through sources such as municipal wastewater, fertilizers, soaps, and detergent—and in some cases even the products used to treat our water. These excess amounts can throw off the natural balance, prompting excessive algal growth, hypoxia, and other negative effects on the water supply.

While regulations designed to maintain this natural balance are set using the best available knowledge, as new health data, analytical methods, or treatment technologies become available, these regulations can become more stringent and more difficult to achieve.

For more information, contact Maitreyi Nagarkar.

Topic Overview (PDF)
Login to follow this topic
141 Projects 9 Web Tools 1 Case Study 28 Webcasts
Cyanobacteria & Cyanotoxins
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Resource Recovery
Project 5078

Linking Nutrient Reductions to Receiving Water Responses

$195,760
2024
In Progress

Project Highlights

While the water sector has made significant investments in nutrient control, there is a need for increased availability of data and information on effective practices, expanded engagement with key stakeholders, and additional mechanistic understanding of linkages between management practices and...

View more details
Jun 15, 2021
Principal Investigator
Josh
Weiss
Research Manager
Ms. Lola Olabode, MPH, BCES

Understanding Biological Nutrient Removal

This video provides information on the science behind biological nutrient removal (BNR) along with utility perspectives. The video features Dr. James Barnard, who has worked in the field of BNR for decades and has consulted on the design of water reclamation plants around the world. Also featured are experts from Centennial Water and Sanitation District and City of Boulder.

Nutrients Removal Challenge

Efficient, Cost-Effective Nutrient Removal from Wastewater—also referred to as the Nutrient Removal Challenge—was launched in 2007 to further develop the science of nutrient removal and assess technology performance to address increasingly stringent nutrient limits. The Nutrient Removal Challenge prompted the investigation of a wide range of issues

Learn More
tractor with tank that can directly inject liquid manure into the ground for optimum nutrient placement and odor control

Recent Updates

Project 5270
Pop-Up Hyporheic Zones (PUHZO) A Novel Modular Technology to Treat...

Reporting Period: November 2024 – February 2025

Project Update
02/21/2025
Project 4914
Utility Responses to Cyanobacterial/Cyanotoxin Events: Case Studies and...

Reporting Period: June 1, 2019 – September 1, 2020. During this period, the team created an...

Project Update
03/19/2021
Project 4914
Utility Responses to Cyanobacterial/Cyanotoxin Events; Case Studies and...

Reporting Period: December 2020 – March 2021. During this project period, the planned in-person World Café...

Project Update
05/28/2021
Project 4914
Utility Responses to Cyanobacterial/Cyanotoxin Events: Case Studies and...

Reporting Period: December 2021 – April 2022. The research team interviewed individual participating utilities remotely, using...

Project Update
08/19/2022
Project 5273
RT-ddPCR for EBPR Biomonitoring

Reporting Period: December 2024 – February 2025

Project Update
04/29/2025
Project 5271
Balancing Carbon Management, Energy Management, Energy...

Reporting Period: June 2024 – November 2024

Project Update
02/04/2025
Project 5220
Sewer Methane Methods for Everyone

Reporting Period: April 1, 2024 - June 1, 2024

Project Update
09/04/2024
Project 5141
Data-Driven Process Control for Maximizing ...

Reporting Period: April – October 2023

Project Update
12/12/2023
Project 5141
Data-Driven Process Control for Maximizing ...

Reporting Period: April – October 2022

Project Update
02/28/2023
Project 5141
Data-Driven Process Control for Maximizing ...

Reporting Period: October 2021 - March 2022. Project work to date has focused on completing the...

Project Update
08/05/2022

Resources

Public Plus

Towards a Renewable Future: Assessing Resource Recovery as a Viable Treatment Alterntative: Case Studies of Facilities Employing Extractive Nutrient Recovery Technologies

Executive Summary
06/11/2012
06/11/2012
Subscriber

Understanding the Impacts of Low-Energy and Low-Carbon Nitrogen Removal Technologies on Bio-P and Nutrient Recovery Processes

Report
4819
08/28/2020
08/28/2020
Public Plus

Towards a Renewable Future: Assessing Resource Recovery as a Viable Treatment Alternative: State of the Science and Market Assessment

Executive Summary
06/11/2012
06/11/2012
View all Nutrients Resources

News

Sustainable Algal Control Technologies

By Rich Abbott, Watershed Quality Coordinator, Skaneateles Lake Watershed Protection Program and Justin Rickard, The Water Research Foundation
04/29/2025

Small Investments in Diffused Aeration and Ultrasound Systems Make Big Improvements in Water Quality At a Syracuse, New York-area reservoir the use of two technologies—diffused aeration systems and ultrasonic algal...

Interview with Dr. William Tarpeh

Profile
By Julia Dinmore, The Water Research Foundation
12/12/2023

Turning Waste into Gold with Dr. William Tarpeh A rare few people end up in the career they decided for themselves as children. More often, the question “What do you...

WRF Presents $100K Research Award To Advance Wastewater Resource Recovery

Press Release
10/11/2023

(Denver, CO) 10/11/23 – Last week, The Water Research Foundation (WRF) presented William Tarpeh, PhD, with the esteemed 2023 Paul L. Busch Award. With this $100,000 research prize, Dr. Tarpeh...

View all News

Related Topics

Link

Phosphorus

Link

Nitrogen

Link

Resource Recovery

Link

Cyanobacteria & Cyanotoxins

Link

Source Water Protection

Link

Stormwater

Link

Source & Receiving Waters

Like reading about Nutrients ?

Login to follow this topic
Subscribe to Newsletter

6666 W. Quincy Ave.
Denver, CO 80235

1199 N. Fairfax St., Ste. 900
Alexandria, VA 22314

Social

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Footer menu

Column
Research
All Topics
All Projects
Participate in Research
Column
Quick Links
Open RFPs
Guidelines and Forms
Articles
Column
Get in Touch
About Us
Become a Subscriber
Contact Us

© 2025 The Water Research Foundation.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Footer - Legal

  • Copyright
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy/Security Notices
  • Non-Discrimination Policies
  • EULA
To search for an exact phrase, use quotes around the full phrase.

Main navigation

  • Research
      Column
      Projects
      Ongoing Projects
      Completed Projects
      All Projects
      Programs
      Grants Awarded
      Column
      Resources
      Case Studies
      Innovation Resources
      Technology Deliverables
  • Topics
      Column
      Advanced Treatment
      Asset Management
      Biosolids
      Climate Change
      Constituents of Emerging Concern (CECs)
      Cyanobacteria & Cyanotoxins
      Column
      Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs)
      Energy Optimization
      Integrated Planning & Water Management
      Intelligent Water Systems
      Lead & Copper
      Microbes & Pathogens
      Column
      Nutrients
      PFAS
      Resource Recovery
      Reuse
      Stormwater
      Utility Management
      Water Use & Efficiency
  • Articles
      News
      eNews
      Press Releases
  • RFPs
      Column
      Apply
      Open RFPs
      Advance Notice
      Column
      Guidance
      Guidelines and Forms
  • Get Involved
      Participate in Research
      Become a Subscriber
      Benefits
      Our Subscribers
  • Webcasts & Events
      Column
      Upcoming Event

      Understanding Gasification for PFAS Removal

      Webcast
      05/29/2025
      Register for Webcast
      Column
      Webcasts
      Conferences & Events
  • About Us
      Column
      Our Team
      Careers
      WRF Staff
      Subscriber Services
      Research Services
      Contact Us
      Column
      Our Volunteers
      Board of Directors
      Research Committees
      Awards
      Subscriber Impact
      Research Innovation
      Paul L. Busch

Lift Main Navigation

  • Resources
      Column
      Intelligent Water Systems Challenge
      SEE IT

Utility

  • Become a Subscriber
  • Log in

Lift Utility

  • The Water Research Foundation